


The other half

by skymoonlight



Category: NCT (Band), 威神V | WayV
Genre: #day 1: destiny, Childhood Friends, Friends to Lovers, Idiots in Love, Kunten, M/M, Mutual Pining, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-16
Updated: 2019-12-16
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:35:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21815281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skymoonlight/pseuds/skymoonlight
Summary: People come in pairs, and so do their marks. When they're ready to meet their soulmate, reaching a point of maturity in their life that allows them to accept the existence of their other half, and also the fact that they may never be able to find it, that is the moment when a tattoo appears on the skin of the person, but the drawing is not complete, as the other half is in the body of the soulmate. When both parties meet, the figure appears as a whole.
Relationships: Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten & Qian Kun
Comments: 7
Kudos: 51
Collections: In Every Lifetime: A KunTen Fan Week





	The other half

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This story is made for the kunten week!!! I hope you like it and enjoy the reading.
> 
> English is not my first language so I apologize for any mistake that may appear. If you want to ask something or leave constructive criticism you can leave that on the comments, on twitter or in my cc <3
> 
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Silent_f4iry)
> 
> [cc](https://curiouscat.me/Silent_f4iry)

_ Life comes in pairs: 2 eyes, 2 arms, 2 hearts that beat at the same pace when they find the right person who synchronizes with theirs. Every year people die and are born, every year new couples are formed and others are broken, it's a cycle that ends when you find the right person to share the rest of your life with. There are also other types of relationships: best friends, family, neighbors or just people who has an important place in your life. And so there're soulmates. _

_When a person comes into the world, within 365 days his soulmate is born, the one who complements his life and his heart. They don't necessarily have to become couples, they can just be best friends, but the hardest thing is to find that person. Every day 300,000 individuals are born in the world, so finding your soulmate is like looking for a needle in a haystack, but it's a challenge that worth to try. Your happiness is completed when you find that person, is something instantaneous, when both sides accept that they are destined to be part of each other's life forever, that moment is when they reach the peack of their happiness. But life is not a fairytale and happy endings are not for everyone. Many times you don't find your soulmate, and you must resign yourself to living that way, which doesn't mean you'll be unhappy, you can live a full life surrounded by love, but you´ll always feel an emptiness in your heart, a missing piece that doesn't allow the puzzle of life to be 100% complete._

_How do you know who your soulmate is? People come in pairs, and so do their marks. When a person is ready to meet his/her soulmate, reaching a point of maturity in his life that allows them to accept the existence of their other half, and also the fact that they may never be able to find it, that is the moment when a tattoo appears on the skin of said person, but the drawing is not complete, since the other half is in the body of their soulmate. When both parties meet, they aren't able to see such marks on each other until the moment they feel a special connection, when they manage to accept that they are made for each other, at that moment the drawing is completed in the bodies of both people, and that's how they know they complement each other. Sometimes it takes a kiss, a hug or a warm word, to finally feel that connection. Other times it takes longer to realize, it can take days, weeks, months or even years; each person works at his own pace and that's the magic of soulmates._

Kun and Ten have known each other since they were 9 years old, when Kun's family moved to Korea due to the work of his father, and that same day Ten's family -conformed by his mother and he- came to the neighborhood in search of a new life after their father abandoned them in Thailand. This is how both became neighbors and both families, without anticipating it, became very close.

 _ **December, 2005 (9 years old):**_

Both boys quickly became friends within a few months; they got used to being each other's company, especially when Ten spended most of his time at Kun's house, since his mother has 2 jobs, trying to sustain his son and the expenses that signed the expenses of sudden moving from one country to another. It's temporary, until they can settle in the country, and Kun's parents understand the situation and feel sorry for their new neighbor, so they have no problem taking care of her son, nor do they mind lending him some clothes and some school supplies Kun uses. For this reason, Kun's parents have told him that he must protect Ten, because, unlike him, his Korean is not so good and he hasn't gotten used to his father's absence.

Christmas Day comes and the two families hang out, Kun's parents give to both children matching sleds and take them outside to play throughout the afternoon.

Ten is very happy with his new friend, and they have fun all day, throwing snowballs in an impromptu war, then return to the Qians' house to drink hot chocolate and eat cookies freshly baked by the Thai's mom.

_**July, 2006 (10 years old):** _

Holidays arrive and it's time to make plans for the summer. Ten and Kun have adapted very well to their new school, and have made good friends, but they remain closer to each other. Every evening they return together, hand in hand, to the Qian's house, so they do not get lost, and every morning Ten's mother takes them to school, it is a routine that is repeated day by day and both families have become used to such dynamics.

The Qians traveled to China during the holidays, they want to visit their family and take Ten with them, as their mother is very busy working and the poor boy would be very bored being alone at home, as all his friends would go elsewhere on their days off. It only took a couple of pleas from the little Kun for his parents to agree with taking his little friend with them. Either way, he was already part of the family, so it didn't feel strange at all.

It was a very fun summer, Kun was teaching chinese to Ten and that trip was the perfect time to practice it with Kun's friends, who turned out to be very nice. They spent a lot of time in Grandma Qian's house and helped her remodel her house, Ten took so much affection of the woman, she asked her to say "grandma", and Kun was very happy to spend time with the people he loved the most.

When the summer was over and classes were about to begin again, the Qians and Ten had to return to Korea, though the kids didn't want to. Resigned, they took a flight back home, where Ten fell asleep on Kun's shoulder, and vice versa, although Kun felt a small somersault on his stomach while looking at his friend, but the dream beat him and he never thought about it again.

February, 2007 (11 years old):

February 14, Valentine's Day, but more important, Jaehyun's birthday. Kun and Ten had been invited to their friend's party, along with their entire group. Taeyong had arrived 30 minutes earlier, as usual, Johnny and Yuta arrived 1 hour later (they were still in the phase where they thought being late looked "cool"), and Doyoung, Kun and Ten arrived just in time.

It was a pretty fun day, they ate cake and sweets until their stomachs hurt, sang karaoke, danced, opened the presents and, at the end of the day, decided to play football, using the new ball that Yuta had given to the birthday boy. Johnny jumped excitedly, calling himself the official goalkeeper, just as Doyoung did with the arbiter's position. The game was going pretty well until Yuta got too excited and kicked the ball so hard that it headed straight for Ten, and he would have ended up knocked out if it weren't for Kun, who pushed him and took the hit for him. So the party ended with a Kun with a black eye -who took 5 minutes to wake up- a Ten crying because his friend didn't react and blamed himself for what happened, and a group of sad children because the party didn't end as they wanted and they expected his friend to be recovered soon.

When Ms. Qian brought the children back home, she asked her son to lie on his bed, asking Ten to stay and take care of Kun while waited for her to come back with a bag of ice to deflate the bruise. Then she told her son to keep the bag over his eye for an hour, and that with a little ointment and more ice he would be fine in a couple of days. Then she left the room, leaving the two children in the room.

-Sorry, it was my fault -Ten said, as his eyes filled with tears, seeing his friend's black eye.

-Tennie, don't cry, I'm fine, it's okay, it's okay -Kun tried to comfort him, but the boy kept crying louder and louder- Hey! look at me, I'm fine, you heard my mom, in a couple of days I'm going to be okay, there's nothing to worry about,

-B-but it's my F-fault- the sobs were diminishing, but the words kept coming out with difficulty.

That's not true. I put myself in the way because I didn't want you to get hurt, it was my decision, not yours. Now, please stop crying, that meakes me sad -while saying this, Kun pressed Ten's hand, trying to calm him down, which worked. After that, the eldest made room in his bed for the other boy, and they laid down as they saw the ceiling, still with their hands intertwined, talking about the superhero movie that was going to be released the next week, and they were going to watch it.

January, 2008 (12 years old):

-HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KUN!!! - When the clock marked the 00:00 hrs on January 1, Ten ran to his friend and squeezed him into a strong hug, leaving the other boy without air. He had asked permission to sleep in the Qians' house and, as the kids used to have a sleepover at lest onece a week, it was nothing new to have little Ten as guess. In fact, he even had some change of clothes in Kun's closet, 'cause he was lazy and didn't want to cross the street to pick some clothes at his house.

  
-You're suffocating me -The birthday boy complained, not really meaning it, as he loved it when the child hugged him.

-Oh, shut up, it's your birthday, let me give you love -the Thai grumbled, as he sticked out his tongue in a gesture of mockery. After that, he gave him one last squeeze and walked away, as he ran to get the gift he had prepared for his friend-. Here, this is my gift, I hope you like it -he said in a shy voice as he looked down and extended the drawing forward, without daring to look at the other boy's expression.

-Uh, are you giving me one of your drawings? -the eldest, still a little shooked by the gift, hadn't reacted yet and the drawing was still in the hands of Ten, who couldn't see the goofy smile growing on the birthday boy's lips.

-Yes? No? I don't know, if you don't like it, then no -replied the boy, a little defensively, as he thought the other one didn't like the gift- you don't have to accept it out of pity, I just thought, you know, as you always say you like my drawings ' giving you one would be a nice gesture ontinued, even with his eyes on the ground, his tone of voice diminishing with every word.

-But what do you say? I love your drawings, Ten, I really mean it!!- the eldest finally came out of his trance and took the drawing, holding it while he smiled. This are us, right? He asked, looking at the scketches that filled the paper-. Yes, it's us 3 years ago, when we met the day we realized that we were neighbors -the youngest said, as he laughed with the memory; but it seemed that it had been a long time ago and, at the same time, it felt like that happened yesterday, he was so used to Kun's presence in his life that it seemed like a constant that had always been there. So much that he couldn't remember what his life was like before he met the boy next to him.

-Ah, that's why the date is wrtitten inside a heart! is the exact day, I didn't think you'd remember -Kun said, still smiling- How could I forget it? that was one of the most important days for me- Ten replied, in a slightly more serious tone.

-I know, it was for me, too. Really, thank you very much, this drawing means a lot to me -the eldest ended, while now it was he who held the other guy tightly, resting his head on his shoulder and sighing with a smile on his lips. His heart beating faster than usual, but that was because of the excitement of his birthday, not for any other reason, or at least that's what he wanted to think.

 _  
 **March, 2009 (13 years old):**  
_  


It was 18:27 PM on a Friday afternoon, it was still winter and the cold was present in every molecule of the environment. As every Friday, Kun and Ten had sleepover and movie night, the older one's parents allowed them to go to sleep late and eat whatever they wanted, as a reward for their good grades; Kun was the best student in his class, and Ten followed him closely, so those little privileges were the reward that motivated the kids the most.

After returning from school, Ten went to change his clothes and look for the things he would take to his friend's house, just like every friday, so he was surprised to find his mother in the kitchen, talking on the phone. Usually the woman worked until late and arrived after 22:00 hrs, so this caught Ten's attention, who came to greet her, but hid behind the door when she heard her father's name. Apparently, their mother was on the phone with the man who had abandoned them a couple of years ago.

-So do you want your son back, now, after all these years? -the woman buffed, with a tone that mixed pain, hysteria, desperation and offense in her voice, all at the same time-. You should have thought it better, you abandoned us years ago and only now you care about him, about us. I don't care about your motives.

Trust me, I know better than anyone how important a soulmate is, after all, I resigned myself to not knowing mine and I was stranded in life, looking for someone who would give me the comfort and compatibility i needed, so I ended up by your side. I understand that the love you felt when you found your other half was stronger than what you felt for me, but I can't accept that you left everything dumped by her, that you abandoned your own son. You left us alone -the woman sobbed but held back her tears as she continued talking on the phone-. There were a thousand different ways to deal with this situation, but you decided to choose the easiest path: to erase us from your life, to forget that you had a family and to remake your life without even telling her that you had a wife and a 9-year-old son; and now you want to go back and take responsibility? Let me laugh. Do you know how much Ten cried when we moved here? Do you know how many times he'd wake up in the night, sobbing and asking for you? He even did that when he went to sleep at his friend's house. You have no idea how much pain I felt when I saw my son being comforted by another 9-year-old who told him that everything would be fine, because I wasn't able to give him an answer, knowing that if I opened my mouth I'd start crying. So don't come and tell me that now, after all you've done, you want to come as if nothing happened and get your son back. he's going to have a chance to choose if he wants to see you again, I'm not going to deny him that, but I'm going to wait until he's older, more mature, strong enough to tell him the truth so he can decide. For now, you're going to have to keep waiting and pretend you've never had a family, which is the same thing you've done the last few years. Goodbye -with a sound of pain, the woman pressed the "end call" button heavily, and burst into tears, as she slid toward the ground, leaning on the wall, with tears gushing from her eyes like an endless waterfall.

After witnessing that scene, Ten ran out and crossed the street. He needed to talk to someone, to listen that he was wrong, that what he had heard was a lie, maybe he misunderstood, and his mother didn't say that. No, it couldn't be true. His father had abandoned them, yes, he understood that when he stopped seeing him, but knowing the reason made the pain come back and it was 10 times worse.

Arriving at his friend's door, he struck desperately, waiting for Kun to open the door and, when he did, the youngest threw himself into his arms, crying and babbling "I hate soul mates, I thought that they only brought happiness, that were a fairy tale that let everyone to have the chance to find true love, but I was wrong. Most of the time they bring pain and suffering to both, those who find that person and those who don't. I never want to meet mine, I'd rather live without one, so I don't risk harming anyone". Kun hugged his friend without understanding what was going on, took him to his room and, after the boy managed to calm down, was finally able to tell the eldest what had happened, sobbing between each word, while remembered his mother's face as she spoke on the phone with his father. Everything she had said was true, Ten had blocked from his mind those painful memories, but the first few months after they moved to Korea weren't easy for him. Every night he had different nightmares, always related to his father, sometimes abandoning him in the desert, sometimes in a cold place without any shelter. He remembered those nights when he would wake up sweaty and screaming, full of terror; terror to be abandoned again, terror to his mother leaving him too, fear of even making new friends, because they could also get bored of him and leave him alone at any moment. But despite those fears, Kun was always there for him, even though Ten didn't want to be his friend, the boy insisted and insisted until the younger lowered his walls and let him in, allowing himself to meet him and that's how he became his best friend.

As he remembered all this, Ten cried again, growing louder, as Kun hugged him, trying to comfort him, he knew that there were no words that could improve the situation, so he only resigned himself to hold the boy as he sobbed in his arms, lying on the bed, and so on until the youngest fell asleep, Kun kissed him on the forehead as he whispered "shh, everything will be fine," just like he did years ago when they had just become friends

 _ **February, 2010 (14 years old):**_

Ten is 14 years old and he's very excited about it. He doesn't like to be younger than Kun, as he's always the one who has to give the other boy the birthday present first, and that means the gift that he's goint to receive will be as good (or as bad) as the one that he gave. Still, he's anxious to know what his friend is going to give him this year, he still remembers how happy he was when he received a friend bracelet made by the eldest the last year, it had "Ten" spelled on one side, and "Kun" on the other, and both of them wore their matching bracelets. "What will be the surprise of this year?" he thought, as he got up from bed very happy, knowing that his mother was expecting him with a delicious breakfast in the kitchen. It was a tradition of both that had been established through the years they had been living in Korea: no matter how busy their mother was with work, she would always have enough time to spend the morning with her son, it was his special day and nothing was going to interpose between this mother-son activity.

Ten loved this, it was one of the few moments he could spend with his mother and, for that very reason, it was one of the things he treasured the most. Every time he saw her in the kitchen, he remembered the conversation she had with his father on the phone and that he unintentionally heard a year ago. His mother still didn't tell him any of that, probably because she thought he wasn't prepared to hear something like that, and he was going to respect her decision; she was his mother, after all, and if she thought that it was the best for him, he wasn't going to interfere, though deep down he believed that his mother was taking that time to heal herself, get back on her feet so she could be her son's pillar when she explained the whole situation of his father, of which Ten already had an idea. Still, Ten had already made his decision: he didn't want to see his father, not now at least, not in the near future. No matter what were the circumstances that led him to commit his actions, he was sure that nothing justified leaving his family abandoned without blinking an eye, not even finding his soulmate. But he didn't want to think about it now, when he had to enjoy the most of this moment in the company of his mother, so he dressed quickly and went downstairs, encountering a table full of delights and the woman who gave him birth running to hug the birthday boy

____

-Mom, can I ask you something? Kun said, looking at the ground, he didn't know how to ask this without feeling exposed.

-Sure, honey, tell me what you need - his mother gave him a bright smile as she helped clean the kitchen, his son had spent all the morning trying to bake some macarrons for Ten, he knew the boy liked them a lot when they tried it a few days ago in the cafeteria that had opened a couple of blocks from his school, and he wanted to surprise him by preparing some of them himself, though he never thought it was that difficult. After the fourth attempt he succeeded, while his mother laughed when she saw her son trying to cook so carefully.

-At what age did you know you were ready to meet your soulmate? How did you know dad was the right person? -the torrent of questions flowed from the teenager's mouth at such a quick speed that his mother could barely decipher what he was saying. Leaving on the furniture the cloth with which she was cleaning the ceramic table they had in the kitchen, the woman rested her hip on it and crossed her arms, after a few moments with her lost look and a smile on her face, she said-. Let's see, you know the mark that we have with your father is a butterfly, right?. Well, I think I was a little older than you, maybe 15 or 16 years old, I don't remember exactly, when I saw that I had half a wing, which was missing the other half, drawn on the abdomen. I was a little surprised at first, the truth is that I didn't feel mature enough to meet my soulmate, or failing that, resigning myself to never find it, but I guess my unconscious was ready, even if I didn't want to accept it- she let go of a little laughter as she remembered how excited and frightened she was the first time she saw that mark on her body-. Now, what was the next question? Ah! How did I know your father was the right person?, Well, that was easy -a silly smile appeared on her face whith the memorie taking place in her mind- as we told you, your father transferred to my school a year before our marks appeared, and since then we became very close, given that he helped me with math, and I helped him with biology. From that moment I started to like him, They were children's things, but I tried to get his attention with small gestures, and he did the same with me: he'd walked me home after school, I'd wait for him after the football club, I'd go to his matches to cheer him up and stuffs like that. Anyway, the point is, we started dating when I turned 15 and became partners when it was his birthday, since there's a few months apart between us. That's why I was surprised when I saw that I had the mark. Being with your father, I didn't feel ready to meet someone else, my heart was claimed at the time, but soulmates work in mysterious ways, I told you, didn't I? Nothing is predictable. Anyway, the thing is, I mentioned it to your father that very morning, because there was no point hiding it from him, and if I ever found my soulmate, I didn't want to cause us more suffering than necessary.

The next week your father called me in the middle of the night to tell me that I he had half a wing drawn on his abdomen, and I hadn't mentioned him what mark I had, so that was a very weird coincidence. That night I couldn't stop thinking about it, and when I saw him the next day, the first thing I did was jump into his arms and kiss him, it was something automatic, I didn't even think about it, my body moved on its own and at that moment I knew it , he was my other half.

So after that we talked a little bit about how we felt about the news because, I'm not going to lie, there were a lot of things to process, but then we realized that it was something as simple as continuing our relationship as it was, the only thing that was going to change was that now we were going to be in more synchronized with each other, we would know right away when the other person felt bad, sad or happy, and we'd share both pain and joy in equal ways between the two of us, so no emotion was going to be too strong for just one of us. Basically it was fate giving us their blessing, it was their way of saying "yes, you're going to be together forever, have no doubt about it -his mother ended with a sigh, remembering how happy she was when she knew her boyfriend was, in fact, her soulmate, finding the missing piece to the puzzle that was his life-. Why are you asking me, honey?

-I... uh, no, nothing, I was just curious, I don't think you've ever told me the full story -Kun replied, he wasn't really sure why he had asked that. Suddenly, another doubt came to his mind- Is it possible to have the feeling that you already know who your soulmate is, even before you have the mark?

-Anything is possible, my boy. As I told you, soulmates work in mysterious ways, there are cases of soulmates who were born in the same hospital and grew up together, as well as others who met shortly before they died. Fate plays by its own rules, we are just pieces of a great board that moves based on motives that we don't know -his mother said- Why? Do you think you've met your other half already?

-Me? No, no, no - the boy was quick to respond, he didn't want his mother to think anything that even he wasn't clear yet. He didn't want to think about it, either- As I told you, it's just curiosity.

-Ah, right, it's okay. Well, I think the kitchen's already pretty clean, why don't you change your clothes and then go to Ten's, eat the birthday lunch I made for both of you, and then try your macarrons, I'm sure they're delicious.

-Right, I'm running late! -The boy quickly went to his room to change his clothes full of flour.

As she watched her son go up the stairs, the woman closed the box with macarrons, smiling at the thought of what her son had let to be seen between his questions, it was clear what he had in mind by expressing those doubts aloud. Sometimes his son was so transparent with his feelings that he didn't realize how easy it was for others to see what he was thinking. The hearts he had drawn, without realizing, on the little desserts were a clear example of it.

 _ **June, 2011 (15 years old):**_

School end was coming up, exams were over, and everyone had managed to pass, which was cause for celebration. A small party with the closest friends was held at Johnny's house. Winwin, Ten's friend of the dance club, was dancing with Yuta, both moving at a mesmerizing pace. Jaehyun and Taeyong were filling the table with food, while Johnny was in charge of making it disappear into his mouth the moment it touched the wooden surface, while he decided what music to play, he was always the DJ on duty. Doyoung and Jungwoo, Kun's friend of the singing club, were sitting in a corner watching memes and talking about the last book in a saga that none of the others knew, while Ten and his best friend were in charge of accommodating cushions on the floor for everyone to sit on.

The night passed without much fuss, the boys had a fun in a healthy way, dancing until their feet hurt and then singing karaoke. To the surprise of all of them, everyone sang quite well so it was like being in a real concert, full of laughter, music and good company. It was past 3 am when Taeyong proposed to play "truth or dare" and, although there were a couple of complaints, they all agreed, they made a roundabout on the floor and sat face to face. They decided who was the first person to ask with a foolproof method: stone, paper, scissors, and the winner was Johnny.

-Okay so... Jungwoo -Johnny said, with a malicious smile on his face.

-Oh, no, why me? - lamented the blond-haired boy,

-Because you're the most innocent. Now choose, truth or dare?.

-Truth - he didn't hesitate to answer. Johnny frowned at that reply.

-So boring -complained the tallest, but resigned himself and continued with the game- Let's see... I know!, what's the strangest thing you've ever eaten?

Jungwoo stopped for a second to think, and then he replied -when I was 5 years old I used to eat glue and sometimes ants. I think that's the strangest thing I've ever eaten.

-You definitely have a very strange taste -Johnny replied, still trying to get to the idea that that tall boy in front of him would have eaten glue when he was little. Although if he thought about it, he used to lick crayons like ice cream popsicles, so he wasn't the best person to judge-. Okay, it's your turn to ask someone else.

-Hmmm....- the boy took a while to decide, and finally chose who to direct the game to- Taeyong, truth or dare?

-Dare - answered the red-haired boy,

-Okay, then... -a playful smile peeked at the sweet-faced boy's lips - I dare you to ride the highest roller coaster, you have to until the end of the year to do this -he stopped for a moment to think again about what he was asking for and, knowing the fear of heights his friend,had, he added- we can all go together, so it's not so scary for you.

Taeyong, still with a panic expression on his face, had no idea how to react, as sooner or later he had to do the challenge. And he knew exactly why his friend was asking him to do this, he had been trying to overcome his acrophobia for three years, and if he could complete the challenge, it was going to be a big step for him. After reflecting on this, and knowing Jungwoo's good intentions, he took a deep breath and then answered- all right, but only if you come with me, ALL of you.

The boys claimed with their heads and threw theirself over Taeyong to give him a hug, knowing how much this step meant to him. After that, the game continued, some chose truth, being forced to answer embarrassing secrets, such as the fact that Yuta slept in her parents' bed until she was 10 because he was afraid to stay alone in his room, or that Jaehyun spent a full year wearing only pink and nothing but pink and, although that was when he was 7 years old, it didn't stop the boy's ears from reddening when he told that story. Winwin wasn´t saved from the game, and had to tell that until he was 8 years old he was still consuming baby porridge and, in fact, to this day sometimes he stole one spoonful of food from his baby sister. At the same time, others chose dare, having to face the crazy ideas of others, such as Johnny, who had to drink a mixture of all the sodas and juices that they had in the house, or Doyoung, who had to let the others do his make-up, and ended up looking similar to a clown.

Although they had a great time that night, there were 2 people who couldn't fall asleep, as the questions they had received a few hours ago were still hanging around in their heads. When Kun chose "dare", he never thought Jaehyun would tell him he had to kiss Ten, perhaps he should have expected that, as his friends liked to play this kind of joke. Still, his heart wrinkled at the memory of his best friend saying that "this was not part of the game," and that it should be a challenge that only involved the person who was participating at the time. He was right, but that didn't mean that the boy's rejection was going to hurt less and, worst of all, he didn't know, or rather he didn't want to accept why it hurt so much to think of Ten refusing to kiss him. After that response, Kun stayed away from the boy for the rest of the night, hoping that the next day his mind would clear up and behave as he normally did.

On the other hand there was Ten who, to his bad luck, was the one who preceded Kun in the game, so he had to go before him. He was sure that the reason for his answer to the question he was asked was what led Jaehyun to give that challenge to the chinese boy. He still remembered how embarrassed he was when, after choosing "truth," Doyoung asked him if he had kissed someone and, if not, who would like him to be the first to share that experience with him. He didn't have an explanation to why his heart sped up when he heard that question and realized that Kun was standing next to him, listening intently to his answer. They always told each other everything, so it wouldn't be a surprise for the other guy to hear that he hadn't kissed anyone. In fact, what scared him the most was answering the other question, who would he like to have his first kiss with?

he thought, and his face turned to the color of a tomato when he realized who was the first and only person to come to his mind. He took advantage of the lights being low and hoped that no one would notice that hius blood had gone up to his cheeks when he said -No, I haven't kissed anyone, and there's no one who I want to kiss for now- he had his gaze down as he said it, so the disappointment that passed by Kun's face went unnoticed for Ten. After that the game continued normally, between laughter and follies, until it was Kun's turn and, when Ten heard that he had to kiss him, he panicked, not because he didn't want to, but quite the opposite, which brought him a fear that was born from the deepest of himself.

All he could do at the time was refuse to kiss his best friend, because he was not in a position to clear up his thoughts in such a short period of time. After that there was an awkward silence in the room, until Jaehyun stepped in and changed Kun's challenge for something else, but by that time Ten's mind was somewhere else, immersed in his innermost thoughts, trying to figure out why he wanted to kiss his best friend and, even worse, realizing that this was not the first time that that image had appeared in his mind.

The next day, Kun's mother went to pick up both boys at Johnny's house, surprised to see the faces of the boys, with red eyes and dark circles under these, as if they had not slept at all - which was true, since neither could fall asleep the night before. Without saying a word, the boys got into the car, and in less than 2 minutes Ten's head was resting on Kun's shoulder, and vice versa, both deeply asleep. The boy's mother smiled as she saw them through the rearview mirror, turning down the volume of the music so they could sleep, they were probably tired.

_**December, 2012 (16 years old):** _

-Come on, don't be boring, you promised it -Ten said, as he was taking Kun's sleeve and dragging it through the mall- you said I could pick my christmas present this year, and I want you to get a piercing in your ear.

-I never said that the gift could include some intervention in my body!! -Kun replied, a little defensively, the truth is that the idea of having an earring didn't attract his attention, and he was afraid that someone would go through his skin with a needle; just thinking about it gave him chills.

-But you promised it -the younger pouted with his lips and looked at him with puppy eyes, knowing that Kun wouldn't refuse that face -and so we can have matching piercings.

-Just admit that this is an excuse to be able to pierce you once more -the eldest said, rolling his eyes. He had known the other boy for too many years, so he knew exactly why they were there.

Although Ten didn't want to admit it, he also was afraid of needles and, although he loved the piercings, he always needed someone to accompany him, Kun was by his side the first time, then his mother, and then his friends took turns (and he took the chance to convince them to make an earring every time they went with him). But this time he wanted to go with Kun, as he wanted to put a metal pearl on a part of his ear that is quite sensitive, so he needed someone to give him strength by his side, and his best friend was the perfect person for it.

-If I admit it, would do you agree to get a tiny piercing? -Ten insisted, he wouldn't give up so easily.

-No, but I can do something else, how about a haircut? - suggested Kun, and he knew it was a bad choice of words when he saw the other guy's eyes light up at the thought -you know what, forget it, I didn't say anything.

-Too late to retract your word, Qian Kun -replied the Thai, with a playful tone on his voice- and it's not just going to be a haircut, you're going to dye it too.

  
The eldest had no choice but to resign himself, he knew that he wouldn't be able to be saved from this.

After an hour, they left the store with a very happy Ten with their new earring, although it hurt, it looked pretty good, and that was what mattered most for him. They hadn't walked too far when they encountered a hairdresser, where Kun was dragged without warning and seated in the chair, while Ten and the hairdresser argued about which cut and hair color would suit the boy best, as if he weren't present there.

Nor did it make much sense to argue, he knew that between them, Ten had a better fashion sense, so he was confident that he would choose something that favored him, and he wasn't wrong. After hours of discoloration and a couple of cutouts to his long locks, Kun ended up with silver hair and looking amazing. Ten couldn't believe it, his eyes must be cheating on him and, without thinking, he approached the other boy and stroked his head very carefully, passing his fingers through the strands of his hair very gently, so much so that he could almost hear the other boy meowing. Ten got flushed at that sound, and he walked away quickly, with the excuse that he was going to pay - Kun's gift was to lend himself as a doll for the experiments Ten wanted to do with his hair, and the other boy's gift was to pay for that change of look -, after that, they walked around the mall for a while and bought some presents for their parents and friends: a pair of football shoes for Yuta, a pair of sweatpants so Winwin could dance comfortably, a hair dye for Taeyong, a sweater for Ten's mother, among other things.

As they approached the exit, they met people dressed as Christmas elves who were giving "bracelets of lucky, love, money, prosperity, and happiness", they were thin strips of colors that you could randomly pull out of a bag and, because they were pretty and free, Ten dragged -again- Kun with him, as he wanted to see which bracelet he was going to pick. They both put their hand in the jar at the same time and pulled out a red bracelet each one. 

-Congratulations -started one of the girls dressed as an elf- you just pulled out the love bracelets, there were only 2 of them among the 5.000 that we are giving away. Our motto is "if 2 people pull out the red bracelet of love at the same time, they are destined to be together", so we wish you a very happy and prosperous future for both of you -she ended with a contagious smile. The boys, anointed, didn't know what to answer, so they accepted the bracelets in silence and continued walking to the exit of the mall.

_ "Attention, attention, we are about to give away gift cards for the bakery"Les amants, all you have to do is get close and, the people who catch the surprise items that we're going to throw, will win the prize. Come here, don't be afraid to participate!". The voice of the host was heard all over the right wing of the mall, so many people left the stores in which they were shopping, interested in participating, as this cake shop was the most glamorous that existed in France and recently had opened a branch in Seoul, but it was very expensive for the most of the people, so being able to taste the delights they offered without having to pay was a very tempting offer. _

Ten and Kun approached, curious, as they had both talked about going to visit that place, but the Christmas presents were going to consume all the budget they had, so they decided to postpone it for the future, when the got the enough money.

  
-Do you want to try?" -asked Kun- we have nothing to lose,

-Yeah I guess you're right, come on -Ten replied.

After a few minutes, the place was full of people interested in the contest, so it didn't take long to get started. There were three gift cards, so they were throwing 3 different items, the first was a Christmas sock with candies inside, and it was received by a kid of 10-11 years old. The second one was a one of those red balls that are used to decorate the Christmas trees, and was received by a pair of grannies who were standing in the middle of the crowd. Finally, the third object was thrown without warning, and fell directly into Ten's hands, who was so happy that began to shake the object over his head as he screamed full of joy, with Kun by his side, who smiled, happy that they had won. But they began to worry when they saw that everyone was looking them, and at that moment Ten realized that what was holding on their heads was a piece of mistletoe. With his eyes open with surprise, he began to look all the way, hoping that people would not be expecting what his next move would be. Unfortunately, all eyes were on them. Kun, for his part, was motionsless, like a mummy, and only looked at the ground; he didn't like it when people looked at him for a long time. The crowd began to shout "kiss, kiss, kiss" and the nervous boys exchanged uncomfortable glances, neither of them knew what to do.

At that moment, the host interfered and said - well guys, you've already caught the mistletoe, there's only a little kiss left and the card is yours- after that, people continued to encourage the 2 boys to stick to the mistletoe tradition and, under a tacit agreement, Kun slowly approached Ten, who closed his eyes, expectantly, and felt chills down his spine when the eldest laid his lips gently on the boy's cheek, near his ear, and then walked away without daring to look at him in the eyes. Ten was so surprised that he hadn't noticed that he was holding his breath and, while trying to get his heart rate back to normal, Kun was struggling with the butterflies fluttering in his stomach and the silly smile trying to escape from his lips.

There was a minute of silence and then the crowd began to clap their hands, as if they had witnessed the purest and tenderest act of love that could exist. The host approached to the boy and handed them the card, and then walked away while people got dispersed through the mall and went back to the stores where they were shopping at the beginning. Kun and Ten were still in the same place and, after 10 minutes, they dared to look up and shared a shy smile. The eldest picked up the card they had earned and, after discussing it for a few moments, they decided that the perfect time to go and try the bakery was the day after Christmas.

After that, they finally left the place and went to their homes, in a comfortable silence that was only interrupted when Ten said, with the card in his hand -unexpectedly, this was the best gift that I could've asked for- to which the eldest answered- yes, so do I. After that they continued walking without cross a word, unaware that neither of them was referring to the card they had earned.

**_November, 2013 (17 years old):_ **

__

__

There were going to be 11 months since Kun woke up with the soulmate mark. 11 months in which he hasn't tell Ten about this yet. He didn't know why, but he was afraid to tell him, afraid that the other boy would also have the mark and was hiding it from him, afraid to discover that his soulmate was someone else, not the one his heart secretly loved but refused to admit it out loud.

  


Kun still remembered the day when he discovered the drawing of a half-sun near his ear, a little below the lobe. It was the day of his birthday, January 1 of that same year. Ten had stayed to sleep at his best friend's house, after greeting him when the clock marked 00:00 AM and give him a T-shirt that he was designed by himself, with detailed drawings that made the eldest smile.

After that they saw a movie while eating chocolate cake and then they went to sleep. They had always shared Kun's bed, since they met at a young age, and this was no exception, although it felt a small tension in the air the moment they got under the sheets. They fell asleep quickly and, due to the low temperatures, approached each other, spending the night cuddled.

In the early morning, Ten woke up because it was a little cold and, seeing that he was so close to Kun, his heart sped up a lot. After reflecting on it for a while, he decided that he did no harm by getting a little closer to the other guy, after all, he was cold and the body heat was a great solution to his problem, and friends hug each other all the time, right?. Not wanting to overthink about it, he approached even more to the boy, who complained a little, and then hugged him even closer. While dreaming, Kun gave him a kiss on the forehead to the younger boy, who was surprised and stopped breathing for a few seconds, and then looked down and stood still with his gaze lost staring at the other boy's lips. What will they taste like? They looked so kissy, so soft and pink, and were so close to him, just a few inches and he could share a sweet kiss with the boy in front of me. But no, he couldn't do that, he was his best friend, he wasn't going to ruin that, much less he was going to wake him up that way, he could get angry and never want to see him again and, most importantly, he didn't have his consent to kiss him. After trying to avoid the idea of the boy's lips touching his own, he closed his eyes and rested his head on the crook of the shoulder of the boy in front of him; after a few minutes, he fall asleep.

The next morning, Kun awoke very surprised to see that he was so close to Ten, his heart stopped for what seemed to be an eternity, and after having 1092834 thoughts on his head that weren't appropiate, he slowly walked away from the boy's arms, who issued some cat-like whining, but eventually turned around and continued sleeping. Kun got up and went to the bathroom to brush his teeth, his mind still recalling the vivid dream he had had: the stage was exactly the same as the night before, he was sitting on the sofa of his living room, and Ten broke into it unannounced, since he had a copy of the keys to the house (both families had a copy of the neighbouring house, in case of an emergency), but instead of sitting next to the other guy as he watched TV, looking for some film to watch that night, the younger one turned straight to his lap and sat on it, looking at him with those bright eyes and that beautiful smile that always left him mesmerized. Then, directing his eyes to Kun's lips and with an expression that asked permission to make his next move -and after seeing that the other boy accepted with a tilt of his head- he slowly approached him and gave him a chaste kiss, then leaned back and kiss him again with more passion, slowly deepening the kiss, separating the lips from the other and starting a competition of dominance between the tongues of both. When the eldest bit the thai boy, and the Ten emitted a low groan, Kun awoke.

He couldn't take that image away of his head, the scene kept replaying again and again in his mind, and the blood had gone up to his cheeks, miking him looked like a tomato. With his mind focused on it and his hands working automatically as he brushed his teeth, he took a few minutes to look in the mirror and notice the figure under his left lobe: the half of a sun contrasted against the clear tone of his skin.

At that moment, Kun world's took a turn of 180°, he wasn't prepared for this, what would Ten think? What if he wasn't his soulmate? What if because they weren't mean to be together, he refused to try to be anything more than friends? It wasn't like he had the courage to ask him that, but still, this was something so sudden that Kun stayed half an hour petrified in front of the mirror. That mark had such importance that it was hard to assimilate, it could mean its doom or happiness.

  
And that's how Kun kept that event in secret and, even after 11 months, he hadn't mentioned anything to Ten.

_____

Time happenede and his friends were receiving their marks, many of his companions had begun a treasure hunt through social media, trying to describe as best as possible the mark they wore on their skin, with the illusion of finding their other half, and many of them had found it.

Someones, like Doyoung and Jungwoo, hadn't needed any external resources, it was something so spontaneous that one day they came holding hands at school and at lunchtime announced that they were soulmates while eating french fries, which surprised everyone, but after a minute of silence to assimilate the news, all his friends stood up and congratulated them. Others, like Johnny, used social medias and, for his surprise, he had found his soulmate, a girl named Wendy who lived in Canada, they had already been talking for a couple of months, and Johnny was going to travel during the summer holidays to meet her. On the other hand, there were people who refused to look for their soulmate, as they didn't feel prepared and preferred to wait for things to flow naturally, that was the case of Yuta and Jaehyun. And others, like Ten and Winwin, still didn't get their marks. The first one didn't care about it, because "soulmates only generate pain and suffering, the best gift is to decide your own destiny and not guide your life by a some bigger force that forces you to keep a stranger in your life", and the second was impatient because he didn't know what was his mark, with whom he would share his life for the rest of his existence, but it was that same impatience that prevented the mark from blossoming into his skin, so it created a vicious circle of anxiety that led him nowhere.

  
Every time they talked about this topic, Kun remained silent, and if anyone asked him about his marks, he said that it still hasdn't appeared and he was fine with it, sticking to his friends' narrative that "everything would flow naturally and appear when he was ready." Then everyone believed him and continued the conversation as if nothing.

 _  
 **July, 2014 (18 years old):**  
_  


Graduation had passed and so did summer holidays. Gradually, the group of friends dispersed, not because they wanted to walk away, but because each one's life decisions took different directions: Yuta and Winwin were going to study in Japan, Yuta was going to specialize him in business, while the Winwinr had received a offer to participate in a contemporary dance company, at the same time he could specialize in dance and become a future dance teacher of that place. Taeyong entered the gastronomy school, and was very happy to know that from the second year he could participate as a kitchen assistant on the cruise trips carried out by the company associated with his university. Jaehyun, on the other hand, decided to study photography at Busan University, just a couple of hours away from his home. Doyoung and Jungwoo were accepted to participate in a musical, so they would go into it for a year, and then they planned to study something related to music. Finally, Johnny was going to move to Canada with Wendy, they had been dating for a year and didn't want to be apart any longer, so he joined the University of Ottawa to study journalism, and was very excited about the idea.

Likewise, Ten was accepted into the Seoul University Dance School, as he didn't want to leave her mother alone, and was very pleased when she accepted his decision to study something related to the arts.

Finally there was Kun who, after thinking about it a lot, applied for a scholarship to study musical composition at the best university in China and, to his surprise, was number one on the accepted list. He debated a long time between staying in Korea or returning to his country, only for a few years. Finally, he decided that the best was to travel to China, he needed to clear his mind, clarify his thoughts and his heart regarding the thai boy who lived in front of his house, and he couldn't do that if he stayed there. Besides, the scholarship paid for the whole career, and he could take care of his grandmother for a while, she lived alone and had been very happy to hear that her grandson would live with her for a couple of years. Yes, that was the best decision he could make, no matter how much it hurt.

The news had hit Ten hard, who didn't expect it. In fact, he didn't even know that his friend had applied for that university, but he had no right to be angry, perhaps a little hurted, but he preferred to swallow the knot in his throat and congratulated Kun when he told him about his plans. If his friend saw him sad, he'd blame himself, and Ten didn't want that, he had to be cheerful so the other guy would be in a good mood too. It'd be a lie to say that such reaction didn't hurt Kun, as it seemed that Ten was happy to see him leave, but no, it couldn't be that, surely he overthinking, it was something he did too often lately, so the best thing he could do was to get out of there as soon as possible, he had to prevent the feelings he had been hiding for so long from exploding in front of his eyes.

What Kun didn't know was that that night Ten cried and cried for hours, debating whether he should run at that very moment to the other boy's window and ask him to please not leave him, to stay with him. But after the third time he nearly crossed the street, he told himself he was being selfish, life goes on and everyone has their own life, he couldn't depend on Kun for everything, he couldn't assume that the boy was going to be by his side forever, no matter how much he wanted to. So, without further ado, he continued crying in his room until his eyes closed in the early morning.

_________

It was the last days of the holiday, the classes were ready to begin, and the time to say goodbye to Kun had arrived. Ten was in charge of taking him to the airport, as the Qians and Ten's mother had said goodbye to the boy that morning. There were a couple of tears, especially from Ten's mother, as she loved Kun as if he were her own son, and she knew that, unlike his real parents, she couldn't travel on vacations to see him. The boy gave her a warm hug and told her to please not cry, that he was going to call her constantly, just like his parents, so she had nothing to worry about. With that said, he and Ten went to the airport in silence, the atmosphere was quite tense and, although neither said something, there was a tacit sadness and words that were not going to come out of either of them.

  


_Last call to passengers on flight CA539, please enter the boarding area. Repeat, passengers on flight CA539, please enter the boarding area._

  


-Well, that's my flight, I guess it's time to say goodbye -Kun said with a sad smile on his face- I'm going to miss you, Ten. Please take care of yourself and remember that if you need me, I'm always a message away.

-Yes, I know -replied the younger, with a lump in his throat. He couldn't stand any more and threw himself into Kun's arms, squeezing him tightly and whispering in his ear, as tears fell through his eyes- and I-I'm also going to miss you s-so m-much -the sobs made his words barely audible. He didn't want to let go of the other guy, He knew he had to, but he couldn't, He wanted to stay like this forever with him. He didn't understand why it hurt so much, but he didn't have time to think about it, he just knew he didn't want him to leave, He wanted to always have him by his side, no matter how selfish it sounded.

Kun, with his heart tight and his head blank, got carried away by his feelings for the first time, without thinking about the consequences, only in the now. Thus, he gradually loosened his embrace with Ten and pulled him away a little, took his face very gently and, with tears bordering his eyes, slowly approached and clasped the lips of both. The other boy, bewildered, showed no reaction at first, but when he assimilated what was going on, he approached the other boy with strength and despair, it was a raw kiss containing many emotions, sadness, passion, love and pain. After that, Kun broke away from Ten and, seeing the conflict reflected in the boy's eyes, whispered a "goodbye" and headed to the boarding area, without giving the other time to react.

_**February, 2015 (19 years old):**_

Confusion, that was the word that best represented Ten at the time. It was his birthday and, for the first time, he spended it without his friends and, most importantly, without Kun. After the kiss they shared that day at the airport, Ten came home to cry, he didn't understand what had happened, he didn't know why Kun had kissed him, and why he had reciprocated it. He didn't know why it hurt so badly to think about it, and even more so, knowing that that wasn't going to happen again. They couldn't, Kun was his best friend, someone who was always by his side, in good and bad, at his lowest, as when he cried for his father, and in his moments of joy, sharing his achievements, as when he won first place in the interschool dance competition two years ago.

He wasn't going to risk losing that, it wasn't a possibility. The risk was too much, and the feelings were too strong, if it had only been an attraction, he might have tried, because he knew they could overcome it if it didn't work, and they'd still be as close as always.

But the situation was very different, it was not a simple attraction, it was something deeper, stronger, he had no words to explain it, but he knew that if they tried to be something else and it didn't work, he wouldn't be able to get over it, and their friendship wouldn't be the same again.

No, it wasn't an option, he wasn't going to risk losing one of the most important people he had in his life , not again- he knew how much that hurt, and didn't want to live it again.

So the next time he spoke to Kun after what happened at the airport, no one mentioned the kiss, and so with all the next calls. It was a tacit agreement of both, they were going to act as if that had never happened. To say that things remained the same would be a lie, the atmosphere was quite uncomfortable every time they spoke, but Ten could live with it -or so he wanted to believe- and, apparently, Kun too.

January 1 of that year was the driest birthday greeting Ten had given him in Kun in his entire life, they usually had a long and deep conversation, with nostalgic moments remembering how much they had grown since the previous year and, between laughter and laughter, they spent hours talking. But this year the talk didn't last more than 3 minutes and, if it weren't for Kun's use of a vague excuse to end the call, it'd have been even more awkward.

That's why when Kun had called him in the middle of the night to wish Ten happy birthday, He pretended he was sleeping, answering the next morning the message of congratulations the other boy had sent him.

He preferred to spend that birthday in the company of his mother, he didn't feel like seeing anyone else, at least not that day.

The idea of a life without Kun was terrifying, but to keep him present in his life as if he were a stranger hurt even more,

Maybe, just maybe, he hadn't made the best decision, Ten thought, as he took a bite of his birthday cake, gaze lost at some point in the kitchen.

September, 2016 (20 years old):

Second year of college, Kun had made new friends and had good grades. He missed Korea, he wasn't going to lie, but he had resigned himself to the idea of staying a few more years in China, and he was getting used to it. He was still in touch with the other guys, Winwin, Doyoung and Jungwoo were doing very well with their artistic careers, Yuta had started working in a small company -it was a low-ranking position, but somewhere he had to start-, Taeyong was traveling on the cruise -he always sent photos to the group chat they had, showing others how beautiful the places he visited were- and Jaehyun also sent the photographs he took for his classes, he was improving a lot, you could noticed that,and he was passionate about his career. Johnny had started doing internships at one of Canada's most famous fashion magazines, making small opinion columns, and got along very well with all the staff, Kun was sure he'd be hired in one of the main charges as soon as he received his degree.

And Ten... well, Kun knew he was fine, he spoke little in the group chat, just like him. They had never been one of those people who talked about everything that happened to them, they usually trusted each other more and in they shared their day to day on the private chat , but they had walked away in this last time, so he only knew that he was very busy creating new choreography his classes, and he was doing well. If it wasn't for Ten's mother, Kun wouldn't have known, but at least he knew he was feeling well and that's what mattered, even though that didn't diminish the sadness he felt when he thought oabout Ten.

Now Kun was trying to meet new people, dating more. Since the star of the career, he had received multiple proposals to go on a date, both girls and boys, but he had always said no. Now he was trying to give them a chance, he couldn't spend his whole life thinking about Ten, that wasn't going to work, and the other guy had made it clear that he wasn't interested in him in a romantic way, as he never commented on what happened at the airport; maybe he had reciprocated the kiss out of pity, or for fear of being abandoned. Kun knew that this was one of the greatest fears that tormented Ten, and he understood, of course he understood that he had that fear after his father's abandonment, he couldn't blame him for that. He wanted Ten to know that he'd always be there for him, even if he broke his heart, he'd still be by his side, even if it hurt.

But things were no longer the same between the two of them, they were uncomfortable and cold. Maybe if he got a couple, Ten wouldn't think that talking to Kun would give him false hope, maybe that could erase the wrong feeling that he had for his friend, maybe so he could find his true soulmate, and finally be happy. But as much as he tried, no one could get his attention, he tried, he really tried, he dated a lot of people, but he didn't feel any connection on the first, or even second date. They were normal people who could be his friends, but nothing else. He couldn't help but compare them to Ten, with the sense of belonging that he gave him, because being with Ten was like being at home, comfortable and quiet, without having to pretend to be someone else to please him, because they both knew each other perfectly. Maybe he'd never find someone like Ten, and that made him happy and saddened in equal parts.

  
One day he might overcome that feeling he had for his friend, but today was not that day.

March, 2017 (21 years old):

Ten also tried to date other people, but no one captured his attention, so he gave up and decided to focus on his career, he was doing pretty well, he was the assistant in the classes of the younger gradesand had won a couple of contests. Everyone wanted to be friends with Ten, and he was kind to them, but he didn't let them get too close, he missed his true friends, he missed Kun. In the last time things had improved, now they spoke more often and felt more natural, not as forced as before. It was almost like old times.

Every time Ten got a message from Kun, a call, a postcard, his heart leapt. He wondered when it was going to stop doing that, it's been a long time, why did he have such a hard time burying those feelings?

With that in mind, he came into his house and found his mother in the living room, waiting for him with a cup of hot chocolate and a sad smile on his lips.

-Why are you here so early? -Ten asked.

-I asked for the day off, I had to do some paperwork in the morning -replied his mother- come, sit down with me - the woman beckoned her son to come and, when he did, she put in his hands a cup with the boy's favorite drink- there's something I want to talk to you about.

-Is it a bad thing?

-No, it's something I should have told you a long time ago, although I have a feeling that you already have an idea of what I'm going to tell you - the woman turned to look her son in the eye,

-It's about dad, right? -Ten said- Mom, years ago I heard you talking to him on the phone, I know he abandoned us for his soulmate, you don't have to tell me the story, I know it hurts.

-Yes, it has part to do with your father's story, which I see you already know, maybe one day you can listen to his version. At first I was pretty stubborn, so you probably have a skewed view of the story. Did he make mistakes? yes, but so do I, and that's what I want to tell you -the woman sighed and waited for her son to talk, she could tell he had something to say.

-No matter what it is, I want to be clear with this: I don't want to see him or talk to him, he left us, and that has no justification -the last sentence was let loose with a tone of rage, but then he saw his mother's reassuring eyes and calmed down- but okay, speak, I hear you.

-You see, to make you understand it well, I'm going to tell you my story: I was 18 years old when I received my mark, I was so happy because I could look for my soulmate, I was so excited for being able to find that special person, the one that complemented me and made me feel happy, especially because I had never had a boyfriend, so the idea that my first and only love was my other half made the situation more exciting.

At that time I also met your father, we were good friends, but nothing more than that. After a few years we started dating and realized that we had a lot in common and gradually we fell in love, although we both knew we weren't meant to be together, but we thought our love would be bigger than that. When I was 22, I woke up in the early morning with tachycardia and a heaviness in my chest, I felt distressed and I was sure something bad had happened. I got up and when I saw myself in the mirror, the mark was gone. You know what that means, don't you? -Ten nodded- When your soulmate dies, the mark disappears.

At first I felt sad, but it was a nostalgia for something I never had, I think that was the worst part: knowing that I would never be ablae to experience full hapiness. But it was also a relief, because that meant I could love your father freely, without worrying that my feelings would change if I found my other half. That's where I was wrong, I was selfish and I just thought of myself. Your father still had his mark, he was in time to find his soulmate. The fact that I lost mine didn't mean he did too. Now I realize my mistake, your father acted wrong, yes, but I can't criticize him for stopping loving me, sometimes there are things that are not meant to be, that was our case. But there are also things that are inevitable. Your father was going to find his soulmate sooner or later, and if that makes him happy, I'm happy for him too. I can't blame him for everything that happened, the fact that we moved to Korea was my decision, I couldn't bear to see him with someone else, the thought of finding them on the street, seeing how happy they were, being there made me act wrong, I did things that I regret, and if I had kept living in that country, i'd have gone crazy. I felt that my happiness had been stolen, but I was wrong, that was always THEIR happiness, mine is somewhere else, and I hope to find it one day, but now I am at peace with myself and your father. So please don't blame him for everything, we both made mistakes, and I hope one day you can forgive me, son.

Ten kept silent for a few minutes, he didn't know how he felt, and he didn't know what to say to his mother. When he was able to clear his mind a little, he decided to speak to the truth.

-I'm not mad at you, mom -he started- I understand why you did it that, you were hurt and they took away the only thing you had. I know you said you weren't meant to be together, but I still understand your actions.

Maybe if your soulmate were still alive, things would have been different. But you can't change the past. I still can't forgive what my father did, because he could have fought for me, or kept in touch, and he didn't try until several years later. But maybe one day I'll want to hear his side of the story.

For now, I want you to know that you are not alone, you have me, I know that I am not your greatest source of happiness, but it is the best I can offer you at this moment -he ended with a smile, as he saw his mother with red eyes as the tears rolled through her eyes.

\- What did I do to deserve such a wonderful son? -the woman leaned forward and hugged the boy tightly.

-You're the best mother I could have ever had, and I'm very grateful for everything you've done for me over the years, you know that, right? -Ten kissed her forehead, then separated from her and looked her in the eye-. You deserve to be happy, too. You know that people who lost their soulmate can form a new destiny together, right? I'm sure that's your case, you'll soon find that person -he finished with a smile.

-Yes, you're right - the woman squeezed her son's hand as she continued -now it's my turn to give you some advice-Ten looked at her with curiousity in his eyes- Don't look at me like that, it's not a bad thing. I want to see you happy too, son. I know you've been denying the existence of soulmates -more specifically, YOUR soulmate- for years, that's probably one of the reasons you're not yet getting your mark-. Don't look so surprised, I'm your mother, I don't need you to tell me to know that don't have it yet. I want you to know that it's not wrong to want to find your other half, life is about risks, and unfortunately there are many ways you can get hurt. What I mean is that you don't have to fear that your soulmate -or lack of it- will hurt you, don't make the same mistake as me. Allow your mark to blossom, allow yourself to look for that special person, and if you think your heart belongs to someone who is not the one you're meant to be with, take a chance to try. Just because my case didn't work doesn't mean the same thing's going to happen to you. Broke the walls that surround your heart and allow yourself to love freely, without fear of ruining things, and without fear of losing certain people. If they're really worth it, they'll stay with you no matter what.

-Why are you telling me this? -his mother's words beat him like a bucket of cold water. He felt that his mother was reading him as an open book and every broken page was being fixed, little by little, with her words.

-I'm your mother, I know you better than I know myself. I've seen you grow up, I've seen how you relate to people, your friends and...other people -a smile peeked at his lips-. And I also keep talking to Kun, who's like a son to me, you know that. It's not too hard to connect the dots.

And with that, the conversation ended, while his mother stood to make another cup of hot chocolate, as the first had cooled. Leaving speechless Tenin the middle of the room.

_**December, 2018 (22 years old):** _

Kun was about to finish his career, he only had one semester left and would return to Korea. He missed his home, his parents, and Ten. He had reached a point in his life where he had resigned himself to living with his feelings, so many years and still could not get over his friend. He'd rather keep hiding his feelings than risk losing the most important person in his life. Things were so good, they were back to normal, they could spend hours talking on the phone, friedays were still movie nights -they watched them via Skype, but it was an activity they did together, and that's what mattered- they greeted each other for birthdays and they were updated about each other's lives. It felt so good to have Ten by his side again. If the price he had to pay for that was to hide his feelings, he would, it was a worthwhile sacrifice.

That's why it was a little disappointing when Kun found out Ten wasn't going to be able to receive him when he was traveling to Korea for Christmas. But when he told him it was because he was going to travel to Thailand to see his father, he couldn't be more happy for him. It was a long-kept issue Ten needed to clear up and be able to close a cycle. Besides, Ten was going to be back just in time to celebrate Kun's birthday, so they just had to wait a few days to see each other.

______

  
Ten's father picked him up at the airport and, although the trip home was rather awkward, once they arrived, they sat on the couch and decided to start talking right away. It was better to do clear the things right now.

-Where is Malai? That's your wife's name, isn't it? Ten asked, with a little annoyance in his voice. His intention was not to sound irritated, but his father's memories leaving the house without ever returning were very present in his mind. And he knew that woman was the reason. But he wasn't going to judge until he knew the full story, as his mother told him.

-Yes, that's her name. She's out and she's not coming back till night. I asked her to please leave us alone -his father began-. Your mother told me you knew what had happened, but you wanted to hear it from my own mouth, so that's what I'm going to do. I guess you know that your mother's soulmate died before she could meet him -Ten slowly nodded- well, after that your mom and I had a long conversation and we agreed that, if at any time I ever got to know my other half, I'd be completely honest with her. I really loved her, please never doubt it, I still love her, but it's a very different kind of love. A nostalgic love that I remember with joy and I treasure the good memories we had together, after all, you were the fruit of that relationship and that's the best gift your mother could give me. The "problem" started when I met Malai, at first I wasn't sure we were soulmates, I'd been by your mother's side for so long that the connection between us was almost as strong as the one of the soulmates. But I had a very strong feeling that Malai was the one, and I let your mother know that. At first she took it well, or that's what it seemed like, but the stronger my connection to Malai became, the more the love I felt for your mother faded, and at that moment she began to behave differently. She kept track of my phone conversations, the places I visited, and she'd start crying every time she saw me. I know it wasn't her intention, but I felt like she was trying to keep me by his side at all costs, and there it reached a point where I couldn't take it anymore. I needed to be free, I needed to be happy. That's why I left. I know I have no excuse, and that's why I didn't call back for a couple of years. The guilt was eating me alive, and as much as Malai was trying to get me to come to my senses -because yes, from the beginning she knew I was married and had a son, she never pressed me to do anything- and told me that I should go back to explaining and take care of you, the guilt and shame were stronger. It took me years to get the courage and get in touch with your mother. I only knew about her because she had sent a lawyer with the divorce papers and asking me to sign a permit so you could leave the country with her. I wasn't in a position to refuse to that, so at that moment I signed, but then I didn't know where you were, and if she didn't tell me, I'd have lost all trace of you, When I was finally able to reach her, she told me that she was very hurt -which I absolutely understood- and also that my departure had caused you a lot of pain. That broke my heart and made the guilt even bigger. When she mentioned that she wasn't going to talk to you about me until you were ready, I wanted to say no, that I really couldn't wait to see my son, but Malai said I should listen to her, it's your mother and who was with you all this time, if someone knows you well , it's her, so I just had to wait. And now you're here, so it's my chance to explain why I did what I did -which I know has no justification- and apologize to you, for everything, for being an absent father, for not being there when you needed me. I know you may never forgive me, but I needed you to listen to me.

Ten didn't know what to say, so he was silent. His father respected that and, after a while, took him to the guest room and he stayed there all afternoon. In the evening he met Malai who, to his surprise, was an extremely sweet woman, who apologized for something that was not her fault -although it was understandable that she didn't feel it that way- and then invited him to dinner. The next few days happened quickly, Ten reunited with his childhood friends, they caught up and went out to have fun almost every day. In the evenings he had dinner with his father and his wife, and while it wasn't a warm, family atmosphere, there was no longer that first-day awkwardness.

On December 31, Ten's father went to fire him at the airport and, before boarding, the boy made sure to let his father know that they were on good terms. It took him a long time to reflect and make that decision, but he knew that holding a grudge was unhealthy and, as his mother told him, he couldn't blame his father for wanting to be happy with the love of his life. He couldn't forget all the suffering caused by his abandonment, but he knew that by forgiving him, a weight lifted from the shoulders of both. They agreed that from time to time -perhaps once or twice a year- Ten would go to visit them, and maybe they would talk on the phone on certain occasions. His father was too happy, his son's redemption was something he longed for years ago, and now he finally had it.

For Ten this meant closing a cycle, and he was ready to leave his fears behind and listen to his heart.

 _  
 **January, 2019 (23 years old):**  
_  


Kun was alone at home, his parents had gone out to a New Year's party with his neighbors, so he had nothing to do. Following old habits, he turned on the TV and put in a random movie to hang out. Every time he saw his phone, he'd smile as he read the message Ten had sent him at 00:00 a.m o'clock: "Happy birthday to the best person I know. I've already arrived in Korea, so in a little while I'll break into your house and greet you properly. XOXO". It wasn't a very deep message, but he was grateful that those little gestures -writing to him even when he was busy disembarking from the airport- were a constant in his friendship.

It was past 1:25 a.m. when the door of Kun's house slowly opened, Ten saw Kun sleeping huddled on the couch, and felt a somersault in his stomach. He approached slowly, trying to make the lest noise possible, and stood for a few minutes, doing nothing but look at the elder. His beautiful eyelashes, his soft hair and the familiar scent that it came out of his body. It was Kun, his Kun, and being in his presence made him feel at home.

He had made a decision, He was going to put the fears and insecurities aside, if he didn't tell Kun how he felt, he'd never know the other's answer. He had to trust that, at the worst scenary, their friendship would keep intact. Their relationship was stronger than that, THEY were stronger than that.

Ten inhaled deeply and gave a few small taps on the shoulder to the boy in front of him who, still half asleep, greeted him with a smile from ear to ear and tugged Ten to himself in a hug so tight that it rolled them down the couch, remaining the younger trapped under Kun's body. For a second the time stopped, only the two of them were, looking into each other's eyes with intensity. Kun swallowed and Ten licked his lips, deflecting his sight, he said- Happy birthday, you're older, what's it like to be an old man? -he asked, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

  
-Oh, come on, as if you weren't going to be the same age next month, if I'm an old man, so do you -with that, Kun let him go and leaned back, sitting on the couch- So how was Thailand? -he tried to approach the subject delicately, he knew it was a delicate thing for Ten.

-Go straight to the point, the real question is how I did with my father -Ten replied, wanting to tell the boy everything- the truth is that it was better than I expected, I think I understand a little bit why he acted that way, I don't justify it, but I understand his motives. We're on good terms, we're not best friends, and he's not the father of the year, but at least things ended well, and that's what matters. I needed to close that cycle, I needed to heal that wound so I could move on with my life.

  
-I'm very glad, Ten. At last you can talk about that subject in peace now, I can tell that you are calmer, you no longer have that look of sadness that appeared every time you mentioned your father -Kun was really happy for Ten, he looked at him with pride, he knew that this must be a difficult step for his friend, but he was achieving it, and he couldn't be happier for him.

-Yes, -Ten replied. But now I want to start a new stage of my life, and... I want you to be a part of it - Kun, confused, titled his head a little- I... - Ten took a deep breath and continued- I love you, Kun, like, more than as a friend, I am in love with you and I want to know if you are willing to give us a chance to be something else. I know you have the mark, even though you haven't told me, it's the most logical thing, you've always been the most mature of the two of us, and you were silent when others talked about it. Don't think I wasn't looking at that -Ten have let out a sad laugh- and I know I don't have the mark yet, I don't know when it's going to appear, probably now that I'm reconciling with the idea of the soulmates, one of these days it'll flourish. But I don't care, I want to be with you, Kun, with or without a soulmate, I want to try. Give us a chance, please, what do you say? -After that bunch of words that came out of his mouth at an incredibly fast speed and in a trembling voice, Ten didn't dare to look the boy in the eyes. He had already said everything he felt, now he just had to wait for Kun's answer.

-Ten, I... -Kun was stunned, not even in his wildest dreams he had ever thought that Ten would tell him this. Would it be a dream? It didn't matter, if it was, he didn't want to wake up- A-are you serious? -the younger only nodded, even with his gaze down. Kun rested his hands on the boy's cheeks and gently made him raise his head, connecting the eyes of both- I tried to avoid these feelings at all costs, I went to China to suppress them and nothing worked. You're tied to my heart with an unbreakable rope, you walked in like it's your house and you never wanted to get out of there again, and you're asking me if I want to be with you? -he took a step closer to the other boy, who looked at him with his eyes open and an expression that mixed disbelief and happiness in equal parts- Nothing would make me happier, Ten. With or without a soulmate, my heart belongs to you and no one else -with that last word, the distance between the two became non-existent, pressing the lips of both in a soft, intimate kiss that lasted an eternity and at the same time a millisecond. Thousands of stars appeared in front of their eyes, as their hearts synchronised the rhythm of their beats, it was a kiss that conveyed infinite emotions, joy, cravings, frustration, relief, it was as if they wanted to recover all the wasted time in that same instant. Gradually, the kiss deepened, and both bodies were more closer and closer to each other, with no inch separating them, Ten licked Kun's lower lip and Kun let out a little groan, carrying his hand to the boy's hair and giving it a slight tug, to which Ten whimpered a little and, taking advantage of his mouth open, Kun lashed out with his tongue , making the other boy moans even stronger.

At that instant, they both felt a small electric shock that forced them to separate quickly. Ten was the first to feel it, a small tingling that ran through his backbone and ended near his neck, at the level of his ear. Then it was Kun's turn, but in his case it was just a tingling where his mark was. It took him a moment to realize it, but he could see the figure of a full sun drawn under Ten's ear, one that looked exactly like his. Without losing another second, he took Ten's hand and dragged him to the bathroom and there, in front of the mirror, they could see that they had the same drawing.

  
-I-if we have the same drawing... -Ten began.

-And we can both see the mark of the other... -Kun continued, even without assimiliar what happened.

-That means we are...

-... Soulmates.

After that, they both made a sound that mixed laughter, tears and surprise at the same time, disbelief flashing in the boys' eyes as they hugged even more strongly. The happiness they felt at the time was incomparable.

At the end, after so many years, they felt that they had found their home, each other's arms provided them with comfort and tranquility, it was like entering a house heated by a fireplace, with a plate of fresh cookies out of the oven along with a cup of tea waiting for them after spending all day under a petrifying cold. A feeling of warmth that reaches to the bones and permeates the soul.

Finding the missing piece of a puzzle you were so looking for, the name of a song that was stuck in your head all day while you were trying to remember the name. That's how it felt to find yoursoul mate, and Kun and Ten couldn't be happier to have found each other.

 _  
 **Epilogue (August, 2023 (27 years old)):**  
_  


Johnny and Wendy were finally getting married. They had invited all their friends and family, who were very happy for the union of the happy couple. The first to arrive were Doyoung and Jungwoo, who had asked for a week off to visit their friend, after which they had to re-practice intensely for their new work. They were less than a month away from the premiere of the musical they starred in and, for the first time, it'd be a tour outside Asia, the boys were so happy that they handed out free tickets to almost everyone who attended the wedding. Then came Yuta and Winwin who, to the surprise of many, announced that they were soulmates and that they had secretly married three years ago and were even processing the papers to adopt a pair of 2-year-old twins: Chenle and Jisung. Even though his friends were offended at the beginning by the omission of such important information, they could not help but fall under the charm of the little boys, as Yuta and Winwin were showing them more than 100 photos of the children, as well as promising their friends that they'd be the godparents of the kids. As well, Jaehyun and Taeyong came in holding hands, which was to be expected, they were a couple since a year ago. They still didn't complete the connection of the soulmates, but gradually their intensity was increasing, it was a matter of time and it would be official.

Finally, Ten and Kun arrived, who had been living together for four years. Ten had created his own dance studio, where he taught from monday to friday, and Kun worked producing music for one of the biggest companies in Asia. They still remembered the faces of their friends when, four years ago, they told them that they were soulmates.

It was a rush of phrases like "it was something inevitable," "sooner or later you were going to realize it" and "finally, I was getting old expecting both of you to be together," but in the end their friends had given them the purest and most sincere congratulations and now, years later, they were returning to meet at wedding of one of their friends.

The ceremony was very beautiful, full of cries and laughter -especially in the part of the exchange of vows, Johnny was a sea of tears- while Doyoung and Jungwoo were in charge of harmonizing and filling the atmosphere with their beautiful voices. On the dance floor everyone joined the waltz of the bride and groom, so the place was filled with couples moving to the rhythm of the music, and so the party continued throughout the night. Before finishing, Wendy threw the bouquet, which ended up in Ten's hands.

-Well, I guess it's the perfect time to ask you this -Kun said- Ten, would you do me the honor of being my husband?"

-Hmm... I don't know, I expected something more romantic, Qian Kun -Ten replied, with a flirty smile, but I guess I accept, I'm going to spend the rest of my life with you anyways, right?

With a kiss they sealed the deal, while everyone clapped and their friends threw themselves over them to congratulate the couple

_The end._

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is for the #kuntenweek2020 day 1: destiny.  
> I hope you enjoyed the story.
> 
> Please let me know your opinion on the comments, on twitter or on my cc :D
> 
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